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For what felt like the millionth time today, Nala looked at her phone ringing and pressed decline. It wasn't long after her morning lectures that the calls started and whatever sense of peace she felt ended.
With a sigh, her eyes land back to her computer and the notes written all over her notebook. Finally getting around to her thesis was more of a relief than she thought it would be.
Nala glanced at the time, cursing herself for losing track of it when she realized she was gonna be late to lunch with Layla. It was only recently that they'd started them back up, the young Sayyora finally leaving her bed and actually doing something besides going to class.
She'd pack her things up, send her roommate a quick text, and be on her way. Today, it was just a little warmer outside with the suns rays beaming across campus. Maybe a little vitamin D would help the hole she's buried herself in since summer.
Nala's eyes almost roll to the back of her head when she sees the familiar golden boy. Ever since the night of the tailgate, things had been more awkward and rocky than before. It only gave her more and more reason to to take the internship.
"Leave me alone, Jeremiah."
But he has no plans on doing so. Instead, he catches up to her so they're walking side by side. "I need to talk to you," he says. Though, it sounds more like a plea than anything.
Nala's ringtone begins again, and all the stress she felt the previous days was slowly but surely coming back. With a swift motion, she pulls it out of her pocket and presses decline.
Jeremiah's brows furrow. "Was that Kenai?"
"Does it matter?" she questions.
He shrugs. "You always answer him," he says.
"And things are different now. You of all people should understand that."
And he does, but it doesn't mean he hasn't spent many nights leading himself to delusion for the sake of comfort. All Jeremiah wanted was for things to go back to normal, and he knew that that's all Nala wants, too.
"You wanted to talk, right? So, talk." Her lack of interest made up for the aching in her heart. Beating through it with knives and swords, the pain was utterly unbearable as she stood before him.
The scent of his shampoo breezes through the wind and collapses her better judgement. She always did love the scent, she used to wake up to it every morning. Used to.
Jeremiah clears his throat and nods. "Right, uh..." Only to not know how to put the right words together. "I, um... So-"
"I've got places to be," Nala interjects. "So if you don't have anything to say i'm gonna go-"
